Hangers for cord supported fixtures



Dec. 8, 1959 I. WOLAR HANGERS FOR com) SUPPORTED FIXTURES Filed May '7, 1958 INVENTOR J's/pom: h/OLHR United States Patent HANGERS FOR CORD SUPPORTED FIXTURES Isidore Wolar, Mount Vernon, N.Y.

Application May 7, 1958, Serial No. 733,509 7 Claims. (Cl. 248345) This invention relates to hangers for cord supported fixtures and more specifically to a novel and improved adjustable hanger for supporting an electric fixture from a conventional outlet box or other suitable connector.

This application constitutes a continuation in part of my prior application Serial No. 474,691, dated December 12, 1954, entitled Hangers for Cord Supported Fixtures.

Lighting fixtures of the type having a flexible cord with the insulated wires and reinforcing threads encased in a braided sheath and arranged for variable fixture height by means of a take-up reel have become very popular. The conventional devices for mounting stem type and chain type fixtures are not adapted for supporting such cord type fixtures, and the devices heretofore available have been unduly expensive and cumbersome.

The present invention contemplates hangers for these purposes made out of simple, inexpensive sheet metal parts, screws and an insulating bushing, and arranged so that the metal parts may be secured either to the ears on the outlet box or a central stud carried by the outlet box, and so that the fixture cord, carrying the canopy and an insulating bushing, may be passed through an opening in one of the outlet-box-carried parts and held there by a knot made in the cord.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel and improved adjustable hanger for supporting a flexible cord type lighting fixture, and a cooperating ceiling canopy.

The above and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings forming part of this application.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a view of a flexible cord lighting fixture;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of an improved fixture hanger in accordance with the invention;

Figure 3 is an exploded View of the hanger of Figure 2 and;

Figure 4 is a modification of the hanger shown in Figures 2 and 3.

A typical light fixture of the cord supported type is shown in Figure 1 and is generally denoted by the numeral 10. The fixture is secured to the ceiling C in a suitable manner and the hanger is enclosed by a canopy 11.

Figure 2 illustrates one embodiment of the invention for attaching the fixture to the ceiling C. For purposes of illustration an outlet box 12, forming the supporting means, is recessed in the ceiling and has a cable 13 entering the box for supplying power to the fixture.

The hanger comprises generally the following elements: a strap generally denoted by the numeral 14 and an L-shaped bracket member generally denoted by the numeral 15. The strap may be provided with elongated openings 16 on each end for attachment to ears 17 on an outlet box by means of screws 18 or other suitable fastening means. In the event it is desired to support the bracket 14 by a central stud, a central opening 19 2,916,250 Patented Dec. 8, 1959 ICC is provided for this purpose. The central portion 20 of the bracket which includes the hole 19 is depressed in order to afford a wider range of adjustment, so that the bracket can either be mounted in the position shown in Figure 2 or it can be reversed so that the depression 20 is in an upper position rather than the lower position. The strap 14 further includes a transverse slot 21 and a downwardly extending member 22 having threaded opening 23 therein.

The second portion of the hanger, namely the L-shaped bracket member 15 has a vertically disposed leg 24 including an elongated slot 25. The horizontal leg 26 may have any desired configuration and is provided with a central threaded opening 27. The bracket 15 is secured to a strap 14 by means of a screw 28 which extends through the slot 25 and engages the threaded opening 23. With this arrangement the bracket 15 can be adjusted vertically and the upper end of the bracket is movable through the opening 21 in the strap 14.

The L-shaped bracket member 15 may be adjusted to accommodate canopies 11 of different sizes. The bracket is positioned so that the leg 26 will lie just above the inner surface of the canopy 12 as shown in Figure 2. The fixture is installed by passing the cord 10 through a threaded bushing 29 of insulating material, thence through an opening 11 in the canopy and the opening 27 in the bracket 15. The cord is then knotted as indi-.

cated at 30 and is connected with the incoming cable 13. The cable is then placed against the ceiling and the threaded bushing 29 is engaged in the opening 27 to hold the canopy firmly in place. The bushing insulates the cord from the canopy and bracket members.

A modified embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 4 and it includes a strap 31 that corresponds to the strap 14 of Figure 2. The ends of the strap 31 include elongated openings 32 and the center depressed portion 33 is provided with an opening 34 having a rounded central section and rectangular end portions. Threaded members 35 each having a threaded opening 36 may be formed integrally with and depend from the edges 34' of the opening 34.

A cooperating adjustable bracket member 37 includes a substantially horizontal portion 38 having a central threaded opening 39 corresponding to the opening 27 of the bracket 15 in Figure 3. The member 37 includes a pair of upwardly extending members 40 each having an elongated opening 41 therein. This bracket member 37 is secured to the strap 31 by means of a pair of screws 42 which extend through the openings 41 and engage the threaded openings 36 in the threaded members 35. The members 40 lie against the inner surface of the threaded members 35 so that in adjustment of the bracket members 37, the upper ends of the members 40 can extend through the opening 34. This embodiment of the invention functions in the same manner as the embodiment in Figures 2 and 3, but is provided with dual supporting means that is generally more adaptable to heavier fixtures.

While only certain embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is apparent that modifications, alterations and changes may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A hanger for electric fixtures comprising a flat sheet metal strap adapted to be secured to a supporting structure, at least one tab secured to and extending outwardly from one surface of the strap, said strap having an opening extending therethrough and registering with at least one surface of said tab, a bracket member having a bottom part including a threaded aperture extending therethrough and at least one leg carried by said bottom part and extending generally normal thereto, said leg being longitudinally movable in slidable engagement with said surface of the tab and through said tab-registered opening, means adjustably securing said leg to said tab, an apertured canopy'enclosing the strap and bracket and a threaded element extending through the canopy aperture and threadably engaging said threaded aperture.

2. A hanger according to claim 1 wherein said tab includes a threaded opening, said leg includes an elongated slot and said securing means comprises a screw extending through said slot and engaging said tab openmg.

3. A hanger according to claim 1 wherein said strap has an offset portion disposed between its ends and said tab extends from said ofiset portion.

4. A hanger for light fixtures comprising a flat sheet metal strap adapted to be secured to a supporting fixture, a pair of spaced tabs secured to and extending downwardly from one surface of said strap and in spaced relationship one to the other, said strap having at least two openings extending therethrough and registering with at least one vertical side surface of each tab, a U- shaped bracket member having a horizontal bottom member including a threaded aperture extending therethrough and a pair of diametrically opposed, upwardly extending legs, said legs being spaced apart a distance corresponding to the spacing of the tabs, said legs being movable through said openings and in closely adjoining relationship to said tabs, means engaging each leg and the adjoining tab for adjustably securing the legs to the tabs, a dished, apertured canopy enclosing the strap and bracket and a threaded bushing extending through the canopy aperture and engaging the threaded bracket aperture.

5. A hanger for cord supported fixtures comprising a flat sheet metal strap adapted to be secured to a supporting structure, a pair of spaced tabs secured to and extending downwardly from one surface of said strap and in spaced relationship one to the other, said strap having at least two openings extending therethrough and registering with at least one vertical side surface of each tab, a U-shaped bracket member having a horizontal bottom member including a threaded aperture extending therethrough and a pair of diametrically opposed upwardly extending legs, said legs being spaced apart a distance corresponding to the spacing of the tabs, said legs being movable through said openings and in closely adjoining relationship to said tabs, means engaging each leg and the adjoining tab for adjustably securing the legs to the tabs, a dished, apertured canopy enclosing the strap and bracket and a threaded insulating bushing extending through the canopy aperture and engaging the threaded bracket aperture, said bushing being adapted to receive and support a knotted electric cord for supporting a fixture.

6. A hanger according to claim 5 wherein said tabs include threaded openings, said legs include elongated slots and said securing means comprises screws extending through said slots and engaging said tab openings.

7. A hanger according to claim 5 wherein said strap has an offset portion disposed between its ends and said tabs extend from said offset portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,200,877 Sable Oct. 10, 1916 1,685,620 White Sept. 25, 1928 1,825,920 Popp Oct. 6, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS 278,178 Great Britain Oct. 6, 1927 

